July 24, 2013

Ben Bass was an afterthought after a less-than-stellar career at A&M, but now he's getting work with the first team

Ben Bass was an afterthought, even as a rookie free agent last year. He was getting ready to get on with his life when the phone rang a day after the draft with an invite to the Cowboys’ rookie minicamp.

He won a contract, then a spot on the 53-player roster and finally, on Tuesday, a chance to practice with the first team in place of Anthony Spencer.

“It’s cool that it’s happening,” Bass said. “It’s just not cool the way that it’s happened, the way people have to go down in order for me to be here. There’s other ways I would have rather earned it. But there is just the way the league goes. You’ve got to fill in.”

The former Texas A&M defensive lineman was moved from defensive tackle to defensive end for at least one day. He has spent most of his brief NFL career at tackle, and in fact, took only four snaps at end Monday.

“[Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli] gave me a day’s work,” Bass said. “[Wednesday], I’ll find out what else I have in store.”

Bass had anything but a distinguished career for the Aggies. He started three games in his career, including one as a senior. A pass-rush specialist his final season in Aggieland, he had 26 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks and two pass breakups.

"The way it happened my senior year was I didn’t get to start first and second down. I got to start third down," Bass said. "I pass rushed my entire senior season. I was a little down that I didn’t actually get to start a game, but you don’t get to choose how things work out. You don’t get to choose your spot. I just made the best of the situation."

He is making the most of his opportunity in the pros. Bass has no idea what he would be doing today if he wasn't playing football. There isn't a backup plan.

]"I showed up and then [to the rookie minicamp, you know what I’m saying, and the rest is what it is," Bass said.